Control arrangement for automatic washer



CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATIC WASHER Filed ned. 15, 19654 YIM-FU.

United States Patent i 3,365,957 CONTROL ARRANGEMENT FOR AUTOMATIC WASHER t Carl J. Knerr, Herrin, Ill., assignor to Borg-Warner` Corporation, Chicago, lllr, a corporation of Illinois Filed Dec. 15,1965, Ser. No.514,06 7 v 13 Claims.` (Cl.` 74P-,3.52)

This invention relates to a timing device for use in conjunction with an automatic washing machine and particularly to an automatic sequential regulating device used to control a plurality of operations in a particular sequence. f

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a device for use in conjunction with a timing mechanism of an automatic -washing machine which will permit the selection of a plurality of Water fill requirements and the selection of a plurality of washing intervals.

It is a further object to provide a unitary device to l accornplishthe above stated purpose and which will permit independent selection of a plurality of water ll requirements and a plurality of washing intervals.

Another object is to provide in a unitary control device means to preselect both a variable water fill for the washing tub of an automatic washer and a variable washing period before setting the Washer in operation.

3,365,957 Patented Jan. 30, 19558 shaft 22 which surrounds shaft 20, and D3 is attached to the end of sleeve shaft 24. Shaft 24 is journalled in sleeve bearing 26 which may be attached tov or form a part of the front plate 14a of housing 12. The shaft 20 may be rotatably secured at its left end asVieWed in FIG. 2 in a bearing 28 attached to rear plate 14b of the housing 12.

Thek disc D1 has an indicator pointer 30 attached thereto. Disc D2, connected to shaft 22, is adapted to be driven in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1. A slip clutch means 31 herein illustrated as a friction clutch having concentric friction -rings respectively cemented to the adjacent surfaces of the disc members D1 and D2 and engageable to transmit a releasable drive connection from disc member D2 to D1 `when D2 is driven by the timing motor M through gearing and shaft 22j. D1 and D2 are held in constant frictional engagement by a suitable biasing means such as a compression spring 29 positioned between cam C1, secured 2() to shaft Ztl, and a washer W on shaft 20 and engaging A still further object is to provide a unitary control having Visible discs settable to provide vfor preselecting a'sequence of operations, the duration of two offthe operations being independently adjustable and each of thet-wo preselected adjustable operations being carried through withouthaving any effect on the time interval of the other operation. v

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1l is a front view in elevation of a d isc control arrangement incorporating my invention;

FIG. 2 is aside elevational view in section showing the disc arrangement connected to a series of cams and 'a timing motor.

Referring now to the drawings, 10 indicates generally a timing mechanism which is disposedl in and supported in a timer housing 12comprising front plate or dial 14a, rear plate 1411, a bottom plate 14C and twoy side walls 14d; The housing 12 may be attached to or form a part of the machine whose operations are to be controlled. The mechanism, 10 generally may be of the type illustratedv in the U.S. Patent 2,825,772 yto G. W. Jones issued Mar. 4, 1,958. The mechanism 1,0 comprises a constant speed timing motor M for setting in operation a prol grained sequence of operations described herein in connection withan automatic washing machine unit (not shown) to which the timing mechanismvis adapted to be operatively connected. The mechanism 10 also comprises a series of electrical contacts or switches S1, S2 and S3 for controlling a plurality of electrical circuits fol-operating the automatic washer. The switches are operated byswitch operating means comprising a plural ity of peripheral cams C1,' C2 and C3 which are rotated. to successive positions by the timing motor M through the gearing'15. The mechanism 10 also comprises a selector assembly 18 to which this invention is primarily directed.

i A preferred formY of the selector assembly 18 `comprises three rotatable ydisc mem-bers D1, D2 and D3 respectively connected to one end of shafts 20,' 22 and 24 and, relatively-rotatable with respect to each other. The shafts- 20, 22- and-24 are coa'xially and concentrically mounted andare journalled on each other. D1 is attached to one end of shaft 20, D2 is lattached to'a drive sleeve cam C2. Although D1 and D2 are in constant frictional engagement through clutch means 31, this arrangement permits D1 to be rotatable manually independently of D2 and, accordingly, D1 can be rotated tol a plurality of positions by manually moving its pointer 30'. to preselect the desired amount of water to be admitted to the Washer tub for conducting a Washing operation.

Disc D2 has an arcuate recess 32 formed in the outer periphery thereof defining shoulders 32a and 32h atopposite ends of the recess. i

Disc D3 attached to sleeve shaft 24 has a stop in the form of a pin 34 attached to the face thereof which i's adapted to engage shoulders 32a and 32b of the recess 32. A pointer or indicator 36 is attached to or formed on the outer periphery of disc D3.

On the timer housing front plate 14a, there is a legend indicating the type of and the sequence of operation of a washing machine to which the timing mechanism is at. tached. This starts with the filling of the washing tub in-A dicated by Water Level and proceeding to the washing periodl designated as Wash-Agitate and then through cycles here illustrated as Spinf Rinse and Spin in that order. The disc D1 may be manually positioned` to select the desired water level for the tub` by moving the indicator 30 to F, ML or ML Disc D3 is rotatable manually relative to discs D1 and D2 to position its pointer 36 lto provide for preselection of a desired time period for ythe Wash-Agitate operation. Assuming the desired Water Level position of disc D1 is had, disc D3 can be rotated to align its pointer 36 with any oneof the 10, etc. positions indicated on the dial 14a` `to provide the desired washing time period. In this respect; it willbe noted the disc D3 may be freely manually rotated relative to the disc D2 Within the limits prescribed by the peripheral space between the shoulders 32a and 32b of the recessed portion 32 of disc D2 which is comparative to and proportional to the peripheral arcuate location of the Wash-Agitate portion of the dial 14a. In the posi# tion of disc D3 shown with the pointer 36 at the 10 minute setting of Wash-Agitate portion of dial 14a,

the pin 34 of disc D3 is engaged with shoulder 32h to per; mit rotation of disc D2 until the shoulder 32b contactsA tively to shafts 20, 22 and 24. Cam C1 is contoured in a manner whereby it is adapted to actuate switch S1 to control the Water supply to the wash tub. In this respect, the periphery of cam C1 is provided with a recessed portion 39, defined by shoulders 39a and 39h, and engageable with one end of a movable plunger 40 mounted in the side Wall 14d of the casing. The plunger has its other end engaging an actuator 41 controlling operation of switch S1. In the position shown, the spring contact 42 engages contact 43 to complete a circuit to the conventional solenoid-operated water ll valve (not shown). Upon rotation of the cam C1, the shoulder 39b engages the plunger 40 to move the plunger and thereby actuator 41 to open the contacts 42 and 43 0f switch S1. It Will be apparent that preselective movement of pointer 30 of disc D1 to one of the water fill positions on dial 14a will provide the desired water supply for the wash operation. Cam C2 is adapted to actuate an electrical switch S2, which energizes the electrical circuitry (not shown) which controls the operation of the washer through the remaining part of the washing cycle. Cam C2, of course, is attached to shaft 22 and is driven at a constant angular speed by the timing motor M through the gearing 15.

Operation Before the electrical current is supplied to the washing machine and before the timing motor is energized, two selections are made by the operator.

The washing interval is selected by rotating disc D3 clockwise and thereby indicator 36 to the desired washing time in minutes as shown on the Wash-Agitate portion of the legend. In rotating disc D3, the pin 34 is adapted to engage shoulder 321; and to carry with it disc D2.

The amount of water to be llet into the tub may now be selected by manually rotating disc D1 by `the indicator 30 to position the indicator 30 to the desired water level. It may be noted that rotation of disc D3 has caused pin 34, -through its engagement with shoulder 32b of disc D2, to rotate disc D2 also in a clockwise direction as the friction clutch means 31 connects discs D2 and D1, disc D1 also has been rotated in a clockwise direction. Accordingly, to obtain the desired water level setting, indicator 30, and thereby its disc D1, must be rotated in a counterclockwise direction to align the indicator 30 to the desired water level setting. The indicator 30 may be moved to an infinite number of desired positions for preselecting any quantity of water to be used in the washing operation. `The positioning of indicator 30 positions cam C1 attached thereto through shaft 20. Since the cam C1 is driven in response to the timing motor M, the amoun-t of Water iill depends on the time the switch S1 is closed to open the water supply valve, the switch S1 being controlled by the position of cam C1. The disc D1 may be rotated independently of disc D2.

When the selection of water level and wash-agitate intervals have been made, an appropriate electrical circuit (not shown) is energized to turn on the washing machine and start the timing motor M. The motor M then drives the sleeve shaft 22 at a constant rate through gearing 15. Thus, the drive disc D2 is rotated clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 1, and drives disc D1 in the same direction through the friction clutch means 31.

' The water iilling cycle is completed when the indicator 30 reaches the "0 -mark and strikes the stop '38. At this time, friction drive from disc D2 to D1 ceases. Also, at this time, the shoulder 39b of cam C1 is effective to actuate Water supply valve switch S1 to shut off the water supply to the tub.

The disc D2 continues to be driven by the timing motor M and shoulder 32a eventually engages pin 32 on disc D3 to drive D3 in the same direction of rotation at D2. The cam C3 attached to disc D3 through shaft 24, is then effective to actuate switch S3 to control the subsequent sequential spin and rinse operations.

It will be apparent there is provided a unique arrangement whereby both a variable water iill and a variable Washing interval can be selected on a single selector disc assembly with both the variable water fill selector means and the variable washing interval selector means being responsive to a timing motor drive.

While my invention has been described herein in connection with an automatic washing machine, it will be appreciated that it could be used in connection with other automatically operated mechanisms where a timed sequence of operations are set in motion and it is desirable t0 vary the length of time of certain of 4these operations.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically disclosed, it is understood that the invention is not limited thereto as other variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art and the invention is to be given its fullest possible interpretation within the terms ofthe following claims.

I claim:

1. A unitary -device for a washing machine for selecting variable water filling and washing cycles comprising:

variable water till selector means;

variable wash interval selector means;

-me-ans for driving said water fill selector means and said Wash interval selector means, said driving means being adapted to be driven by a timing motor;

said driving means being disengaged from said wash interval selector means during driving of said water fill selector means and automatically engageable with said wash interval selector means after said filling cycle has been completed.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said driving means is disposed between said Water till selector means and said wash interval selector means, and

said driving means includes slip clutch means for driving said water till selector means.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said driving means comprises a disc means rotatably disposed between said water fill selector means 'and said wash interval selector means.

4. The device of claim 1 including cooperating means on said driving means and said wash interval selector means for establishing a drive between the two, said cooperating means comprising a pin and recess arrangement.

5. The device of claim 1 including clutch means for establishing a drive between said driving means and said water -ill selector means.

6. The device of claim 5 including means for rendering said clutch means ineiective when the filling cycle has been completed.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein said clutch means comprises a friction slip clutch.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said driving means comprises an annular member rotatably disposed between said water fill selector means and said wash interval selector means, said device further including,

cooperating means on said driving means and said wash interval selector means for establishing a drive therebetween, and

clutch means for establishing a drive between said driving means and said water fill selector means.

9. The device of claim V8 wherein said clutch means is a friction clutch, and said device further includes,

means for rendering said clutch means ineffective when the filling cycle has been completed 10. A unitary device for a washing machine for selecting variable water filling and washing cycles comprising:

variable water fill selector means including a first rotatable selector member;

variable wash interval selector means including a second rotatable annular member disposed in and adapted for rotationrin a plane substantially parallel to said iirst rotatable selector member;

means for driving said water ll selector means including a third rotatable annular member disposed between and in a plane substantially parallel to the planes of rotation of said rst and second rotatable members, said driving means being adapted to be driven by a timing motor,

said driving means being automatically engageable wi-th said Wash interval selector means after said lling F cycle has been completed.

l 11. The device of claim 10 wherein said driving means include a friction slip clutch means for eifecting a drive between said iirst and third rotatable members.

i 12. The device of claim 11 including means for render- 6 ing the friction slip clutch means neiective when the filling cycle has been completed.

13. The device of claim 10 including, concentrically disposed shaft members connected to each of said rotatable members; and cam means connected to each of said shafts for actuating a plurality of associated electrical circuits.

MILTON KAUFMAN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A UNITARY DEVICE FOR A WASHING MACHINE FOR SELECTING VARIABLE WATER FILLING AND WASHING CYCLES COMPRISING: VARIABLE WATER FILL SELECTOR MEANS; VARIABLE WASH INTERVAL SELECTOR MEANS; MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID WATER FILL SELECTOR MEANS AND SAID WASH INTERVAL SELECTOR MEANS, SAID DRIVING MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO BE DRIVEN BY A TIMING MOTOR; SAID DRIVING MEANS BEING DISENGAGED FROM SAID WASH INTERVAL SELECTOR MEANS DURING DRIVING OF SAID WATER FILL SELECTOR MEANS AND AUTOMATICALLY ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID WASH INTERVAL SELECTOR MEANS AFTER SAID FILLING CYCLE HAS BEEN COMPLETED. 